A number of private hospitals, especially those outside Chennai, are finding it difficult to access two drugs -- remdesivir and tocilizumab -- for COVID-19 patients. A section of doctors say that limited stock is available for both the drugs in the market, and there are instances of dealers quoting high prices.
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In the past few days, there have been instances in which relatives of COVID-19 patients and doctors of private hospitals have sought help to get the two drugs in different parts of the State.
The Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation (TNMSC) has so far ordered 1,02,500 vials of Remdesivir from different suppliers, and 6,500 vials of Tocilizumab and has supplied them to government hospitals across the State. “We help out private hospitals too. So far, TNMSC has issued around 130 vials of Remdesivir and Tocilizumab to private hospitals all over the State,” an official said.
A senior government doctor in Madurai, said a few corporate hospitals had minimum stock of the drugs, while smaller hospitals did not have any. “Most of these hospitals manage with the available stock. They treat the mild cases and refer severe cases to government hospitals. We have found that tocilizumab is effective and life-saving, while remedesivir is also good,” he said. He pointed out that black market sales were happening already, and the drugs were priced at double or triple their cost.
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C.N. Raja, State president of the Indian Medical Association, Tamil Nadu Branch, said it was very difficult for private hospitals in many places to get the drugs. “Very limited stock is available in the market. Some dealers quote high rates for the drugs. For instance, dealers quoted a heavy price of ₹20,000 to ₹25,000 for remdesivir that is priced below ₹5,000,” he said.
Recently, two doctors of Theni and Nagercoil, who were admitted to private hospitals, had no access to the drugs and had to be shifted to government hospitals where they received the drugs. Inquiries in various districts including Erode, Coimbatore, Salem and Tiruchi did not help, he said.
“It is not easy to get the drugs for patients admitted in private hospitals. The Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services has said that we can get them through TNMSC. But this is not practically viable. Instead, the government can indent and supply the drugs for private hospitals. We have a drugs control mechanism and the government should cap the cost of these drugs,” Dr. Raja said.
J. Amalorpavanathan, vascular surgeon, who received one such call for help recently, said these drugs could be made available at dispensaries run by the Central and State governments.
A representative of a drug manufacturers association pointed out that the drugs were being supplied only for hospitals. A government pharmacist said the risk of black marketeering was high, given the present circumstances. “There is a lack of regulations on how patients admitted to private hospitals can access these drugs. A prescription could be provided to the relative and his/her identity could be ascertained by way of using a government identity card. With this, the drugs could be purchased,” he said.
As of now, officials of the Directorate of Drugs Control, said they have not received any complaint on high pricing of both the drugs. “While TNMSC has a stock of the two drugs for supply for government hospitals, there is a direct supply from the wholesale dealer to private hospitals where COVID-19 patients are admitted. Action can be taken if patients find that the hospital has charged them high for the two drugs,” an official said.